Young at heart
by Tara4
Summary: Hermione meets a boy, and they soon begin to fall in love, but what is his secret, what is he hiding. Will she still love him when the truth is out.
1. chapter 1

Hi, this is my new fic, I really hope that you like it, because I think that I am going to enjoy writing it.  
  
Please, if you see fit, review this for me. I need your reviews, my life will end if you don't review.  
  
Anyway. I SAW CHAMBER OF SECRETS FOR THE THIRD TIME IN 5 DAYS.  
  
It is still awesome.  
  
Anyway again  
  
DISCLAIMER - I do not own the characters, they belong to JK.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione sat in front of the mirror and rubbed the skin under her eyes. It had been a long night, a very long and eventful night, a night that Hermione hoped that she would not forget in a long time.  
  
She had broken an endless number of rules tonight, but she loved the fact that she had. So many things had happened as a result of her breaking rules.  
  
Her life had changed, for the better.  
  
Harry and Ron had convinced her to sneak out of the castle and down to Hogsmeade to go drinking with them. Harry and Ron had been going drinking a lot lately, almost every night. She had no idea how they were doing it.  
  
Well, that wasn't true, she knew the basics. The boys would use the Invisibility cloak and the marauders map to get to the Whomping Willow, then, they would throw stones at the tree until they managed to hit the spot to deactivate the trees temper. Then, they would sneak to the Shrieking Shack where they would change out of their Hogwarts clothes into muggle clothes and then make their way down to the bar.  
  
Hermione had asked them how they always got away with it. Ron had blushed, and Harry laughed. Hermione shook her head. It was amazing what a blast of the Potter charm could do, and a blast of the Weasley charm was pretty powerful. Combine the two together and it was unstoppable. Hermione had realized long before that it was hard to say when the two of the joined forces.  
  
So, they were flirting their way out of trouble, and going to the pub every night. They had been trying to talk Hermione into going with them. She had always said no, not wanting to get into any trouble and ruin her chances of a perfect senior year.  
  
But the night before, Hermione had finally fallen prisoner to a double blast of Weasley/Potter charm. She had finally said yes to them, and she had finally gone into Hogsmeade with them.  
  
That had been one of the best decisions that Hermione had ever made. Because while in Hogsmeade, Hermione met a boy.  
  
Not just any boy, but Rylan Lucas.  
  
And in Hermione's eyes, he was perfect. For a girl who knew that there was no such thing as Perfection, she was quick to say that Rylan was pretty damn close, if not perfection personified.  
  
He stood strong and tall. His brown hair fell into his dark eyes occasionally. He had a very youthful face that lit up completely when he smiled. His eyes told a long and detailed story, and would look at a person with a sense of unparalleled intensity.  
  
Hermione had seen him when she had first entered the bar. She had been drawn to him like moths to a flame, but she had been too scared to talk to him.  
  
With in minutes, Harry was off talking to a group of girls that Hermione recognized from Hogwarts a few years before. Ron was off with his own group of girls, who Hermione had never seen before. Hermione just silently made her way to the bar.  
  
She sat in the shadows, drinking her first drink and watching as the bar filled. She watched as Ron and Harry worked their magic on the girls, buying drinks and occasionally getting up and dancing. Hermione watched silently as the same people came back for their first, second, third drinks as she still held her first. But most of all, Hermione watched him.  
  
He seemed familiar in a really unusual way. She knew she had never seen him before, she would have remembered a man as beautiful as him. But he seemed so comfortable to her.  
  
It was a crazy sense of de ja vu. Everything about this man, the way he sat, the way he held his bottle, the way he ran his hand through his hair. Every movement, every action, every mannerism, he reminded her so much of some one, she just couldn't think of who.  
  
She had gotten to a point when she wanted to go home. She was thinking of telling the boys that she was leaving and then heading back up to the castle, but there was something that was making her stay, making it so hard for her to leave the stool that she had inhabited for the last hour. And it was him.  
  
The boy had been watching her for the last 20 minutes. He had hardly taken his eyes off of her. Hermione was finding it hard to think of anything other than his intense gaze burning into her neck. He was making her feel scared and exhilarated all in one.  
  
A few minutes later, she watched as he stood. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized that he was approaching the bar. Approaching her.  
  
"Hey, can I buy you a drink"  
  
Simple words that started so much more in Hermione's heart. She smiled and accepted his offer, allowing his to buy her a drink. Then they sat, for what seemed like endless hours, just talking, sharing stories and histories.  
  
His name was Rylan, and he was 18, he had attended Durmstrang while living with his father, but now, he was living with his mother in Hogsmeade. He apparated into the ministry every morning, but he couldn't tell Hermione what it was that he did for a living. (Hermione thought that maybe he was one of the unspeakables from the department of mystery, but she knew that he would never tell her.)  
  
They laughed as they told their stories, reliving events in detail, explaining it to each other as though the wanted to feel every emotion running through both of them.  
  
The minutes ran effortlessly into hours, and before Hermione knew it, she was being tapped on the shoulder by Harry, telling her that they would have to get going back up to the school soon. She had nodded, and then turned back to Rylan.  
  
"It is ok, we will see each other again" Rylan replied, tucking a piece of Hermione's frizzy hair behind her ear.  
  
He was so sincere, Hermione immediately believed him.  
  
She knew it would only be a matter of time until she saw Rylan again. And she couldn't wait.  
  
So now she sat, in front of her vanity mirror, remembering the sweet boy she had met, and counting down the slow moving minutes until she saw him again.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Rylan Lucas stood in front of the basin in his bathroom, thinking of the great night that he had spent with Hermione.  
  
He really liked Hermione, she was a great person. Smart, funny, beautiful. He couldn't wait until the he saw her again. He knew it would only be a matter of time till he saw her again.  
  
He would see her with out Hermione even realizing it.  
  
He would see her every day from now on, because he had seen her every day of the past year.  
  
Filling the basin with water, he realized how pathetic he really was. How absolutely pathetic is was for him to be doing this. For him to be lying to Hermione, and to himself.  
  
Rylan Lucas looked at his 18 year old face and then leaned forward, scrubbing his face with his water covered hands.  
  
He stood upright again, and looked at his reflection.  
  
His real reflection.  
  
The face of a middle aged man looked back at him.  
  
The middle aged face of Remus Lupin.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Review!!! Please!!! 


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione smiled as she entered the great hall. It was beautiful morning, a beautiful morning indeed. The sun was shining and the birds were all singing, the air was fresh and crisp.  
  
Hermione was happy, happy beyond belief, and why would she not be, she had had the best night of her life, met the boy of her dreams, and she couldn't wait until she had the opportunity to break the rules again and go back to the Pub.  
  
Yes, that is right, you heard correctly, Hermione Granger wanted to break a rule, not just one rule, she wanted to break all of the rules she could possibly find. She would break them all, just for another night like the one she had just experienced.  
  
She was almost skipping, and she realized that as she sat at the table for breakfast. Hermione was practically skipping, but she really couldn't be bothered if people saw her, she was happy, and they would just have to deal with the consequences.  
  
Sitting, Hermione smiled at the boys, and they grinned back. They had seen Hermione the night before, having a deep and meaningful conversation with the brown haired guy they had seen down there a few times. She looked like she had been enjoying herself talk to him, and they were very happy for her.  
  
It had been a long time since they had seen they best friend this happy. After fourth year, when the dark lord returned to power, Hermione spent even more time a day studying and trying to keep out of trouble. Hermione studied for impossibly long hours, and gave herself no time to herself. Very little happiness.  
  
But she was happy now, she was grinning, grinning like the cat that got the canary and the milk all in one sitting.  
  
"When are we going to Hogsmeade again?" Hermione asked as a form of greeting. Ron and Harry looked at each other before turning back to Hermione.  
  
"Thanks for asking Hermione, I had a great night sleep, and the day only seems to be getting better" Ron smiled at her. She blushed lightly. She had fully intended to say the proper good morning to the boys, but when she opened her mouth, the question just seemed to jump out.  
  
"I am sorry boys, good morning" Hermione replied "So, when are we going back to the pub?"  
  
She cursed herself for sounding so eager. Hermione blushed and looked down at the plate in front of her before once again looking up at the boys, they were smiling.  
  
"Ron, we have created a monster" Harry joked, Ron nodded, unbelieving. He had never seen Hermione like this, so revved up, so enthusiastic about something other than school work.  
  
"This wouldn't have something to do with that tall handsome stranger you were talking to last night would it?" Rona asked. He already knew the answer, but he wanted to see what Hermione would say, if she would come right out and say that she liked the guy she had met, or if she would dance around the subject, trying not to let her true feelings show.  
  
"Who is a tall handsome stranger?" Ginny asked, Hermione blushed, and then stuffed a forkful of eggs into her mouth, allowing Ron and Harry to find a way to explain the predicament to her.  
  
"There is no tall handsome stranger" Ron told her, Ginny smirked.  
  
"Yeah right, that is why I distinctly heard you say that Hermione was taking to a 'Tall dark stranger last night'" Ginny replied. Hermione sighed and pushed her plate to the side, she was too happy to eat, she knew that made no sense at all. Plus, Ginny was distracting her from her food.  
  
"It is nothing Gin" Hermione replied. "I you know I would have told you if there was something going on"  
  
Ginny nodded, she seemed ok with the answer, and then picked up her books, and left the great hall, heading off to her first class of the day.  
  
"So, boys, are we going back into town tonight?" She asked once no one was around to listen.  
  
"I don't know" Harry stated "We do have home work to do"  
  
"Oh, screw the home work" Hermione replied, causing Ron to choke on the bacon that he had just begun to chew. Did Hermione Granger really just say to 'screw' home work.  
  
"Listen boys, I am going with or with out you, it would just be cool if you did come along" Hermione replied, the boys looked at her, there was no point arguing with Hermione when she got like this.  
  
She seemed more than capable of going by herself, but it was an unspoken agreement that she wouldn't go with out them .Harry and Ron still felt protective of her. And she was ok with that. It was amazing what some people could do to a teenaged female if they had a sick enough mind.  
  
"ok, we will go with you"  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
Just like the previous night, the three best friends split up as they entered the pub, all moving to different spots, but all in places where they could see each other. Hermione moved to the bar where she had been the night before.  
  
Looking around the crowded pub, Hermione got slightly worried. This was probably a stupid idea. She didn't even know if Rylan came to this place often, she didn't know if Rylan would come there tonight.  
  
Hermione looked around, Harry and Ron had taken no time to get into the swing of things, and now she was just sitting there alone. Hoping against hope that this guy would turn up.  
  
Even chance there was a good chance that he may not show up....  
  
"Howdy stranger" a voice from behind her said, Hermione smiled, and turned to the voice.  
  
"Rylan, I didn't expect you to come tonight" She said, somewhat truthfully, but she couldn't help the silent sigh of relief that escaped her. He had come. It was so cool.  
  
"Oh, I just came in the hope that you would sneak out again to come see me." Rylan told her. Hermione smiled. "I hope you don't get in trouble for sneaking out"  
  
"Don't worry, you have no idea how easy it is to sneak around Hogwarts" Hermione replied, Rylan smiled.  
  
"Oh, I think I do" Rylan mumbled, then caught himself, hoping that Hermione had not heard him. If she had, then she did not say anything about it.  
  
"So, what did you do today?" Hermione asked, then realized her mistake. He didn't talk about his job.  
  
"Not much? What about you? How were your classes?" He asked, she smiled. The previous night, she had told him the truth, she was almost 17 and she was still a student. Rylan seemed interested in her lessons and things, which Hermione quite enjoyed.  
  
"Classes are fun, I enjoy learning things" Hermione told him. As the sentence left her mouth, she realized just how unsophisticated that sentence sounded. Rylan chuckled.  
  
"What is your favorite subject?" He asked her, she smiled.  
  
"Defense against the dark arts" Hermione replied, Rylan smiled, or maybe it was Remus who was smiling, either way he was smiling. Hermione liked his lessons.  
  
"Why do you like that so much?" He asked, interested.  
  
"It is just a very interesting subject, plus, when you are friends with Harry Potter, it is good to arm yourself against evil" Hermione admitted. Rylan smiled.  
  
"But you must have a good professor right? I mean, the class would have to suck with out a good teacher?" He fished, Hermione smiled.  
  
"Yeah, But we have had a different teacher almost every year, This year we have the same teacher that I did in third year. He is my favorite out of all of them" Hermione explained. He nodded, a goofy grin breaking out on his face.  
  
"He must be one hell of a guy" Rylan chuckled.  
  
Just like the night before, they spoke for hours until the sun had completely gone down, and the pub was full.  
  
Towards the middle of the night, when Hermione was deep in conversation with Rylan, she heard some one calling her name.  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
She looked around over her shoulder, glaring at Harry and Ron, who were standing at the door of the male toilets.  
  
"What?" She exclaimed, some what angrily.  
  
Ron disappeared into the toilets, and then pointed at the door. There was something outside, leaning against the window, casting a shadow on the building.  
  
That could only mean one thing ..... Hagrid was just outside.  
  
Jumping off of the stood, she hid behind Rylan.  
  
"What?" he asked, chuckling.  
  
"One of my teachers, I can't let them know I am here or I will get expelled." Hermione replied.  
  
Rylan couldn't help but chuckle.  
  
If only she knew the truth.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Time for you to review, thank you 


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione held her breath as he heard Rylan chuckle.   
  
"Why are you laughing?" Hermione whispered loudly, punching him in the side hard. "He can get me into serious trouble"  
  
"Hermione, I am pretty sure that most of your teachers know that you break the rules. it is like a sixth sense to all teachers. They can spot rule breakers from a yard away." Rylan replied.   
  
"How do you know?" Hermione asked, peaking out from behind Rylan to look at Hagrid, who was making his way to the other side of the bar where he took a seat and was dealed into a game of poker.  
  
"You really expect me to have kept the rules at school?" Rylan replied. Hermione just grinned.   
  
"I guess not" Hermione laughed. For some reason, even though it was possible that she would be kicked out of school for this, she could not stop laughing at Rylan. The way he just stood, blocking her from Hagrid, one hand on the bar, the other on his hip as he tried to be casual.   
  
"Do you think it would be a good idea for us to get out of here?" Hermione asked, looking out from behind him again.   
  
"We could do that, but to get to the door, we would have to pass Hagrid's table. We have to find a better way out of here." Rylan replied "Where did your friends go?"  
  
"They went into the bathroom, they are probably stranded...." Hermione stopped mid sentence "Or they would not be stranded because they have the invisibility cloak with them."  
  
Rylan, or Remus, sighed as he remembered times that he, James and Sirius used to sneak down to that very same bar with that very same invisibility cloak. It would make sense that Harry, hermione and Ron would sneak down here with it.   
  
"Invisibility cloak, cool" Remus managed to sound surprised. He had to remember that he, as Remus Lupin, had grown up using the invisibility cloak, but he, as Rylan Lucas would not have had the chance to see a rare invisibility cloak.   
  
"Yeah, Harry got it from his father..." Hermione began "but that is not helping us with getting the hell away from my 'care of magical creatures' teacher. Now if you don't mind, stop distracting me and start thinking"  
  
"Well, why don't you think, you are the smartest witch in Hogwarts"   
  
"How do you know!?!" Hermione asked. Remus bit his lip, trying to work his way out of the dilemma he had just spoken himself into.   
  
"I guessed, you seem pretty smart." Rylan began "Most pretty girls are smart"  
  
"Would you stop distracting me" Hermione whispered, "We need to get out of here…wait, you think I am pretty?"  
  
Rylan chuckled  
  
"There is a door behind you" Rylan said, Hermione turned, and realised he was telling the truth, there was a door right behind her. Hermione groaned, and then punched Rylan again when she heard him laugh.  
  
Turning the doorknob, Hermione sighed in relief as the door came open. She entered the small room, and then pulled Rylan in behind her.   
  
"You know that this, this ..." Hermione began, looking around the room "This stairwell, was here all along, but you made me suffer hiding behind you?"  
  
"I am kooky that way" Rylan grinned, sitting down on the stairs. Hermione tried hard to remain angry with him, but she could not when he was smiling at her like that. All she could bring herself to do was smile back at him and sit down on the stairs beside him.   
  
"So, what is a boy like you doing in a stairwell like this?" she laughed. Rylan grinned.   
  
"I am sharing the ambiance with a beautiful lady" Rylan replied.   
  
Hermione blushed, running her hands through her hair and looking away from him. "beautiful?"  
  
"You are beautiful Hermione. Very beautiful" Rylan began, enjoying the way her cheeks heated. "I am sure every boy tells you that though"  
  
"No, I have never been told that" hermione replied.   
  
"Honestly?" Rylan asked, surprised "Not even by Harry or Ron?"  
  
"I've never been that way with Harry or Ron" Hermione sighed "Not that it matters, they are my best friends."  
  
"But how could they not see how absolutely stunning you are...I mean, I saw it." Rylan replied, running his hand over her hair softly. Hermione grinned and looked into his eyes. There was nothing but the truth in his oddly familiar eyes.   
  
His hand continued to run over her hair before he stopped, his eyes locking with Hermione's. His fingers tangled in a few strands of her hair and then, he brought his lips close to hers.   
  
Hermione's eyes fluttered closed and she waited for his lips to rest on hers, But Rylan, or rather Remus, could not bring himself to close the gap between them. he knew that this was his last chance before he threw caution to the wind and let Hermione Granger and Rylan Lucas take him over. He was Remus Lupin, but the woman he liked liked him as Rylan, so that was what he made himself, Rylan. But in this split second, he remembered so much more than merely who he was.  
  
He remembered 13 year old Hermione Granger raising her hand and answering questions in DADA, he remembered hermione watching a quidditch game, the wind blowing her messy hair into her eyes, and most of all, he remembered the look on her face when she had accused him of being a werewolf. There was so much more to him that the two RL's he was pretending to be. Because there was the third RL, real life, and in real life, he was part beast.   
  
If Hermione knew the truth, would she still want him kissing her. He had a feeling that when Hermione found out the truth, then they would both be heart broken, but for some reason, Remus could not stop himself from bringing his lips to hers, pressing against hers softly.   
  
And it was Hermione who deepened their kiss  
  
~*~  
  
"Ahh, bright smile, another good night for Hermione?" Ron grinned as he caught up with Hermione. Harry soon joined them.   
  
"Very good night...very very good night" hermione replied as they entered the DADA classroom.   
  
"So, have you kissed him yet?" Harry asked  
  
"Slept with him yet?" Ron added  
  
"Planned your children's names yet?"  
  
"Booked matching headstones?"  
  
"Would you both shut up. Just because I am happy does not mean you can treat me like this" Hermione smiled, opening her book and flipping through a few of the pages to the work they were beginning to study that lesson. Ron and Harry just smiled at each other, nodding slightly. Their best friend was in love.   
  
They were both really happy for Hermione, finally finding some one. Their only hope was that this Rylan Lucas would be the right person for her, because they both knew it would break her heart if he was to treat her badly. They both wanted to met Rylan, just to make sure he was as genuine as hermione had said he was. They were worried about Hermione, and wanted to make sure that this boyfriend of hers could be trusted.   
  
"So...When do we get to meet this Rylan Bloke?" Ron asked casually. Hermione stared at him.   
  
"Never." She replied, organising her things n the table.  
  
"Oh, come on Hermione, we just want to make sure he is good enough for you" Harry replied.   
  
"He is, he is almost to good for me" Hermione sighed "He wont treat me bad"  
  
"All the same, we will meet him. Whether you like it or not" Ron threatened. Harry couldn't help but laugh at the way Ron was baiting Hermione. They were always like that around each other.  
  
"Why do you have to meet him Ron?" Hermione asked. "Since when have you been my big brother. As far as I remember, you only have one sister, and her name is Ginny" Hermione replied, rolling her eyes. Ron shrugged.  
  
"Just making sure that you are well looked after Hermione" Ron held up his hands. Harry chuckled.   
  
"Ok, you can meet him, only if you promise not to embarrass me" Hermione sighed in defeat. Ron looked from her, to Harry, and then back to Hermione.   
  
"Embarrass you. My dear Hermione, what would I ever do to embarrass you. I mean, just because I know some interesting little stories which I have gathered from numerous sources, does not mean that I am going to embarrass you!" Ron grinned, trying to sound shocked.   
  
"Yeah Hermione, I am offended by the accusation…" Harry added as he prepared his things, waiting for Lupin to come in and start the class.   
  
Hermione rolled her eyes, she knew that the boys meant well, but at that point in time, she really didn't want to share Rylan with anyone. She knew it sounded weird, but she didn't even understand what was going on between the two of them, so she didn't necessarily want to change the dynamic of it by letting her friends join into the friendship.   
  
But they would have to met him at some point, hermione knew that, and she just hoped that when the boys did met him, Ron would find it in his heart not to tell all the little stories that he had prepared for such an occasion.   
  
The door at the front of the room opened, and Lupin came in, covering a yawn that threatened to break. He placed his things on the table, and then turned towards the class.   
  
He looked tired, so much older than he had the lesson before, and the lesson before that. Hermione looked at Ron and Harry, and they each shared the same thought. Something was seriously wrong with their favourite professor.   
  
Checking the small calendar that she had tucked in the front of her book, Hermione looked for the date of the next full moon. It wasn't for at least another two weeks, so it was not like that was why he looked so different.   
  
The lesson went on as normal. But when the class finished, Hermione's curiosity got the better of her.   
  
Standing with the others, she waited until every one had left the room, before moving for the front of the room.   
  
"Umm, Professor Lupin?" She began. Lupin turned to her, and couldn't help but smile slightly.   
  
"Yes Miss Granger, what can I help you with?"  
  
"Well sir, I just wished to ask if you were, well, ok. You look very tired" She told him. Remus ran his hands through his hair softly and smiled at her.  
  
"Thank you very much for your concern" Remus smiled, sorting through his papers "But I am sure that you would appreciate as much as I do how intriguing a book can be. I got a little carried away with my reading…could not put it down"   
  
Hermione grinned. "Yes, believe me, I have done that many times. Well…I hope you get some sleep tonight sir"  
  
"Thank you Hermione…I will" He replied as she turned collected her belongings and went to catch up with Harry and Ron.   
  
~*~  
  
Hermione pushed open the door, and walked straight to where Rylan was sitting.  
  
"I was hoping you would be here" 


End file.
